DAV discovers Rockwell's 'Homecoming Marine'.

It's not every day you see your picture on the cover of a magazine, but Duane Parks is used to surprises. For Parks, a retired machine operator, maintenance man and milk company manager, it all started in 1942. While on leave after basic training, Private First Class Parks returned home to the Arlington, Vt., area. There, he attended a square dance in his Marine Corps dress uniform.

He was picked out of the crowd and offered $10 to have his photograph taken the next day. It was there, in a garage, where he met painter Normal Rockwell. He sat with several mechanics holding a grease rag while Rockwell took the picture.

Under Rockwell's artistry, that grease rag became a Japanese flag. PFC Duane Parks became "Duane Peters," the suddenly decorated subject of his neighbors' interest for Rockwell's famous painting "Homecoming Marine." In the background, a newspaper appeared acknowledging "Garageman a Hero."

Unlike "Peters," Parks said his Marine Corps career was fairly common for the times. As a .50 caliber machinegun operator, he fought in the Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, New Hebrides and Guam. He was honorably discharged in 1945.

"My family thought it was great, but I haven't spent a whole lot of time thinking about it over the years," said Parks, who was reminded of the painting again early this year when his Pawlet, Vt., neighbor, DAV life member Steve Leach, showed Parks the November/December 2005 cover of DAV Magazine.

"I guess I was pretty surprised to see that painting again," laughed Parks. "Then I had to get more copies of the magazine for my family."